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So i picked up a stock 1999 900ss shock - looks to be in good shape. Im looking to install perhaps tomorrow or friday: It looks like it should be a pretty straight forward operation to swap it, but figured id ask to see if anyone has any advice they want to lay down.

Should fit right in. Since you cant use a track stand to support the bike, I have found that two jack stands under the back of the motor works pretty well. I just rock the bike over to one side to get the first one under, then rock the bike to get the next one under. Take off your rear wheel so that the swingarm moves freely when you are trying to get those big bolts through the shock eyes. There are little hat washers that go inside of the heim joint to reduce the size to the bolt, and takes the torque of the bolt. Make sure you have those. There are two on each shock eye.

Of course, you probably want to take off the tank and rear body section just to get some working room and not bang them up in the process. Also, when you get the old shock off, its a great opportunity to check your swingarm pivot for play or roughness. Since mine was modified, I don't know what the stock bearing set up is, but if you are obsessive, its a good opportunity to clean and regrease those bearings, but that requires pulling the swingarm pin and its a whole lot more work.(but you do have a 3 day weekend coming up).

The 900ss shock is just a touch longer, so it will set the back of the bike up a bit. I have found it to be a good thing. It speeds up the turn in and doesn't cost anything in stability.

Cheers,

Can you measure the 900SS shock and the old once from the eye to eye center??

900ss is 33.5cm

ill measure the sport one once its out-

stock marzoochi one is 34.5cm!

its actually longer than the 900ss showa by 1cm. but its a good thing i swapped, the bushing at the base of the spring was cracked and broken -

i cant really feel a difference in height -

That's confusing! You really don't want to have a shorter shock in there. Be careful unitl you get a good feeling for it.

yup. im going to try this one and see how it goes. its an ebay item so its possible it was not from a 900ss? it fits fine and clearance seems alright. i havn't road tested it yet - just went around the block a few times and i really could not tell the difference.

i checked at the local ducati place and they measured a showa ss shock for me and got the same result - 1cm shorter than what i had. BUT i rode it today and its WAY better even if its a bit shorter. i think if i go to the 17" wheel in the back it will even itself back out.